Improvement in corpse-preservers



; H. LEE,

I Corpse Prese ven No. 103,060. l Patented May 17,1870.

/ V/ T/VESJES MENTOR W A I Hflhhyiaa r pa Pam Mt me NVPETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D cv new sea-5 HENRYILEE, or WASHINGTON, ms'rnior or COLUMBIA.

Letters Patent No. 103,060, dated Mag 17 ,1370.

IMPROVEMENT m coRPsn-PREsERvnR's.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making-part of the same To all. whom itjinay concern.- I

Be it known that LHENRY LEE, of Washington city and District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in (loi'pse-Preservers;

and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdeseription of the same,- ret'erence be-- ing had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference markedt-hereon making part of this specification, in which V Figure 1 is a top view, the cover of the box being removed. i

Figure 2 is an end view.

' Figure 3 is a sideview of the lower section of the case.

"My improvement relates to that class of inventions designed,'by the aid of ice, to preserve the bodies of the dead during that period which shall intervene between their decease and the time of their interment,

The object of this, as, well as the entire class "of inventions alluded to, is to furnish suitable means of accomplishing the desired result without packing the ice directly upon and around the corpse, as was formerly universz'i-lly, and is even now, to a great extent, the practice. Thisold custom was effective, but, for many reasons, was still objectionable. It lacerated the feelings-of friends, besides being troublesome as well as uncl eanly. The nature. of my invention consists in securing in a suitable box or case, metallic lined, hooped or curved support-bands. Oh these bands rests the metallic case designed to receive the body. This inner case is constructed. in two sections, it being divided at or near its horizontal center line. The upper section or cover is designed, when in position, to fit loosely over the lower, and is held at thedesired height, im- ,mediately above, but entirely freot the body, by means of reverse double loop-hooks. The upper section or cover, like the lid of the, outer case or box, is to be provided with a glazed opening, through which the face of the body can be, seen, and also with an additional opening, through which escapes the heat as the same is thrown off by the corpse.

My invention. also consists in providing the box with a metallic sliding door, which communicates with an opening cut through the outer surface of the box, whereby the ice can, as fast as it melts, be replenished without in any manner disturbing the case that contains the body. I

The advantages of this arrangement will readily suggest themselves. lhe support-bands are so arranged that the inner case is held in such relative position to .the interiorsurfacc of the outer case-or box as to allow suflicient spacefor ice not onlyto be packed under but entirely around the same- Thus it will he inches abovethe floor of the box A. tween the lower points I) I) of the bands B B and the observed that I am enabled to completely imbed the body in ice, and still securely protect it from all direct contact with the same.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use thy-invention, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation. I

A is the outer box, and-may beof any desired form. This boxA is to be lined with zinc or other suitable metal.

- A is the top or lid'of this box, and may be construct-ed in one piece, or, if preferred, in two sections,

the same being hinged: together in the usual manner. The lid A is provided with a glazed opening.

At or'near the bottomoflthe box, or in the bottom of the same, is an outlet-tube, a, through which the water produced by the melting of the ice is drawn ofl'.

B B are the support-bands, and are three or more in number. Thesebands are of metal, and should be of such length that, when attached to the interior of the box A,,they will be caused to so bend as to be nearly semicircular in form, as clearly shown in fig. 4, the lowerpoint b of said bands being about three This space bebottom of the box Arenables the undertaker to arrange the ice well under the supports, and, consequently, under the body.

These bands B B may be secured directly to the sides of the box A; or bearing-blocks b b, if desired,

may be introduced between the same and the bands.

0 is the lower, and Cthe upper section or cover of the case which is to receive the body. These sections 0 C may be constructed of any suitable metal, and

of any desired form, I usually construct them nearly circular, as clearly shown in sectional view, fig. 4, as

this is a convenient form, not only to pack the ice case is in position, resting on the bandsB B, sufficient space shall be left between said case and the outer box to afford a suitable chamber in which to pack the ice.

In its dimensions, the cover 0 of the interior case is .to be somewhat greater than. are those of the-lower section 0, so that, when the former is placed in position on the latter, it will fit loosely over the same.

This cover 0 is provided with an opening, D, through which escapes the heat which the corpse always throws ofi This opening is to be protected by flanged sides dd' .entirel-y inclos'ing the same, so asto prevent its being obstructed with ice, or the passage of ice or water through the same to the body.

This cover G has also a glazed opening, D, which, in connection with the opening in the lid A of the box A, renders the face of the corpse at all times visible.

E E are double reverse-looped hooks, and may be of metal or any other suitable material.

One of the loops of these hooks fits over the side of the section 0 of the interior case, and the other affords a bearing-support for the cover 0.

Each case should be provided with sets of these hooks, having shanks of difierent length, as shown at e c, fig. 3, so as to enable the case to properly accommodate itself to bodies of different rotundity.

Through the head of the outersnrface of the case A is cut an opening that is closed by the door F, as seen at figj2, which communicates with the opening in the lining that the sliding metallic door F protects.

This sliding door is held in position, so as to allow of its free movement, by means of wooden cleats ff.

The operation is as follows:

The interior case 'is to he removed,- and the ice properly placed in the bottom of the box, and around the sides to as high a point as can conveniently be done to leave the bands B- B unobstructed. The corpse having been placed in the interior ease,'itis returned to its position on the bands. The ice is then placed completely around the same. Through the doors F Fice can at any time be replenished in the bottom of the box without disturbing the interior case. Of course the water caused by the melting of the ice can be drawn off through the tube a, or the tube may always be left open, a drip-pan being placed under the same to receive the water.

Having thus fully described my invention,

-What I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

- l. The sections 0 O, the latter having the vertical flanged openingD, and double reverse-looped hooks E E, when the same are so combined and arranged as to furnish a case, substantially as described, as and for the purpose specified.

HENRY LEE.

-2. The box A, doors F F, bands B B, and the in- 

